


Wishing for Stars

by ArcticCalamity



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Gen, outertale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-02 12:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5248478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticCalamity/pseuds/ArcticCalamity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frisk is a human who finds themselves crash-landing on a strange planet filled with monsters. With no memory of where they came from, they must make their way across this new world to find out about their past and set everyone free. (Based on the Outertale AU by http://2mi127.tumblr.com. See notes inside for details.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is heavily based on the Outertale AU by http://2mi127.tumblr.com (also http://outertale.tumblr.com). Please look at those sites for character designs or any other AU information. The basic premise of the AU is that everything is the same except that it takes place in the future and Frisk must free the monsters from their centuries of imprisonment on this faraway world. In the original AU all the events are exactly the same as in the game, except the location has changed. While this story will be similar in some ways to canon, a lot will be changed and new events will take place. 
> 
> Frisk in this story is using they/them pronouns so please let me know if that gets confusing. I also set their age at 15 for this. There will not be any romantic or sexual situations so don't worry.
> 
> I will be adding more tags and characters as the story progresses.

The stars glittered in the night sky like rhinestones in soft, colored cloth. The rainbow galaxies spread out above the planet. It almost seemed to swallow it whole and cover it up, keeping it safe in the dark. Frisk opened their eyes, blinking up into the brilliant lights twinkling around them. Their head was throbbing and everything felt like they had been run over by something huge and heavy. They coughed, a dry dust coating the inside of their throat. Something was sizzling beside them and they turned their aching head and neck to look. Their ship, a modest one-person vessel, was in pieces with shards of metal and plastic scattered around. Some of them were on fire, the orange light burning through the pieces of machinery and filling the cool air with acrid smoke. Frisk attempted to lift their left arm to cover their face, but no amount of pulling would move it. They tried their right one, straining to move their sore muscles but managed to maneuver it to push themselves up.

They looked at their immobile arm. It was hanging limply by their side and their sleeve was ripped. It seemed like a piece of shrapnel might have been lodged in their skin, but no pain had registered through the shock of the accident yet. They took a deep breath, feeling the oxygen move through their lungs. That was lucky. They hadn’t had the time to throw on their external suit during the crash and without breathable atmosphere they probably wouldn’t have even woken up. Frisk stood up, brushing some of the dust off of their clothes. It seemed that besides their arm they were pretty much intact considering the situation.

Frisk tried to remember what had happened to lead up to the accident. They were in their ship…but why? Why were they here? They couldn’t quite remember. Panic began to set in as they struggled to recall basic information. Their name was Frisk, they knew that much. They were…fifteen earth years old. They put their right hand over their eyes, the throbbing ache in their skull overtaking their thoughts. The shock was beginning to subside a little, allowing for the feeling to return to their broken arm. The pain was dull at first, but it started to sting and burn, running into their shoulder and pressing them forward. First they had to find some help.

Around them, the surface seemed desolate, a thick, grey dust covering the ground. The world stretched out around them, a seemingly endless expanse of dreary grey. A large, looming planet sat off to one side. The surface was barely distinguishable through the clouds, but Frisk swore they saw lights. 

“Oh, dear.” A voice said from behind Frisk. They turned quickly, wincing as their arm moved. Frisk held it close as they observed the speaker. A woman was standing a few feet away. She had long ears and horns and looked like some sort of animal. A goat maybe? Her expression was soft and she held out a hand gently. “Are you alright?”

Frisk had words ready on their lips, but nothing came. They merely stared at this alien in her pretty blue dress with gold constellations and soft-fur covered body. She was speaking the same language as Frisk, which should have worried them. Was she even a stranger? Were they somehow from this odd place but couldn’t remember? Frisk wasn’t sure. Their arm was stinging and burning, the wound pulsing with every beat of their heart. She must have noticed their turmoil and she glanced down at their injured arm.

“Oh no!” she said. “You’re injured! Please come with me. I will take you to my home and take care of your wounds.” She looked genuinely concerned. Something about her was so comforting, like a mother or a good friend. Frisk’s stomach flipped as they thought about going home with this woman and letting her take care of them. Frisk nodded.

“Oh good. I’m glad.” She reached into a pocket of her dress and pulled out some kind of large cloth, maybe a bandanna of some sort. She moved as though she were going to approach Frisk, but she stopped. “May I wrap up your arm to alleviate some of your pain until we can get home?” she asked softly. Something in her eyes made it seem like she was worried that if she moved too quickly Frisk might hop away like a scared rabbit. Did they look that bedraggled? They supposed they must considering the crash they were in. Their legs and head were sore and they were covered head to toe in the dust from the surface. Frisk nodded again and gently let go of their arm. Tears threatened at their eyes as the wound pulled and the bones that were surely broken twisted. Frisk steeled themselves as she kneeled down and began to move their arm.

“My name is Toriel.” she said as she worked. Her hands were soft and the fur brushed against their arm as she repositioned the limb and strung it up with the cloth. She tied the sling around their neck and stood back up. “It is nice to meet you. What is your name, my child?”

Her child? That hit Frisk in a way they didn’t expect. They weren’t offended, or scared, but instead something about the way she said that made them unbelievably happy. Suddenly, despite their injuries and their inability to remember their past, they felt like they were coming home again. A warmth spread through them, seeping into their limbs and spreading a smile over their face. They grinned up at Toriel and she smiled back.

“My name is Frisk.” they said. Toriel held out her hand and Frisk took it, letting the woman lead them away from the wreckage.

“That’s a lovely name.” she said. She didn’t speak after that, she just silently led Frisk away. They figured that if Toriel was taking them away to kill them, they’d rather go out like that instead of waiting to die of infection or starvation. It wasn’t long before signs of civilization started to appear. The tops of purple buildings were soon visible over the horizon and it struck Frisk that this planet was not very large. They supposed they could walk around the whole thing in maybe a few hours. Given the larger planetary body that was floating in space nearby, perhaps this was just a moon. 

“Where am I?” Frisk asked as they neared the city. Now that they were closer they could see that many of the houses were crumbling and broken and void of a single other soul.

“The Ruins, my child. My home. I am the keeper and caretaker of this place.”

“All alone?”

Toriel turned to look at them and smiled sweetly at them.

“Not anymore, my child. Now I have you.”

That confused them, but they let it go. Toriel’s presence was soothing, comforting, like everything would be alright as long as she was around. She led them through the broken streets and abandoned homes until they arrived at the far end. There, a single tree stood with bright red leaves that stood out against the bleak landscape. As far as Frisk could tell, it was the only plant life around. It seemed odd that nothing grew around here, but they supposed that with the dry soil nothing could take root naturally. Behind the tree was a modest house, but this one was not in shambles. It was clearly the home Toriel was referring to and she led Frisk inside. 

The air smelled like something sweet, and it was warm. Frisk hadn’t even realized how cold the air had been until they entered through the front door and felt the heated air wash over them. It smelled like a comfortable winter and like waking up happy in the morning. The floors shined beneath their feet and there was a fireplace in an adjoining room that crackled invitingly. Toriel brought them to a table sitting just a ways from the fire and pulled a chair out for them. When Frisk was seated Toriel grabbed a box from the center of the tabled and pulled a small clay jar and a pair of scissors from it. She untied the sling and laid their arm out straight.

“I promise this will only hurt a little, my child. I’ll be very gentle. I’m sorry about your clothes, though. I’ll have to cut the sleeve off to get to your arm. I’ll get you some more, I promise.” she said. Frisk nodded and Toriel grabbed the scissors. She carefully cut the fabric of their space suit away from their skin, revealing just how damaged they were. Bruises dotted their flesh and there was a large, stinging gash on one side. Frisk wondered how bad the rest of their body looked. There was only a small pain as she pulled some sort of shrapnel from the wound and laid it on the table. Then she took a small bit of some kind of cream from the jar and rubbed it gently on the gash. It felt like she was rubbing it with an ice cube, but it didn’t hurt like they thought it would. Frisk watched as a few seconds later the injury shrank until it was nothing but a small scar on their skin. Their arm was still throbbing from the break and they were thankful to have someone to heal it. Toriel placed her hands on the broken spot and closed her eyes. There was a quiet hum, like a soft machine, and something in their chest felt like it was tingling. The sensation moved from their core out to their fingertips, like drinking something warm on a cool day. Frisk exhaled softly, feeling their skin as it vibrated. There was a small glow that emanated from Toriel’s fingers. Magic. The cream and the glow, there was nothing else they could be. In a moment she looked up at them and patted their hand.

“Your arm will be sore for a few days, so please do not use it too much. I will give you something to help with your bruises soon. Please let me know if you find any more cuts and I will attend to them.” She stood up and held out her hand again. “For now, I have something to show you.” 

Frisk stood up, being careful to not put any pressure on their arm. She was right, it was still aching, but nothing like the raw pain that had been creeping through it like a clinging vine. They took her hand and obediently followed as she led them to another part of the house. There was a hallway with three doors. She stopped at the first one and opened it, revealing a small bedroom. It was decorated as if for a much younger child, with a box of toys, a desk and a lamp, and a chest of drawers.

“You can use this room, my child. Please feel free to use anything in here. I will fetch you some clothes.” She left and walked into the room next to it. Frisk took a look around, feeling the bed and looking at a few of the dusty toys. There was a small mirror on the wall opposite the bed. When Toriel returned, she was holding a sweater, a pair of shorts, and some boots. She handed them to Frisk.

“I will go start dinner. When you are changed you can come visit with me, take a nap, or maybe you’d like to take a walk. I understand if you don’t after your accident. You do seem to be doing well, however.”

Frisk shook their head. “A walk sounds nice, actually.” Their voice was still weak and rough from the crash and honestly they almost felt like they needed to sleep for a hundred years. They weren’t sure if they wanted to surrender to that yet, though. Whatever magic Toriel had used on their arm had relieved all the soreness from their muscles and their headache had dulled to a light pain behind their eyes. 

Toriel walked away again and they slipped off their old space suit and into their new clothes. They were warm and comfortable, and they smelled like cinnamon. Frisk took a deep breath and moved to the mirror. They looked awful. Their hair was still a mess and full of dust, and their eyes looked tired and sunken in. They used their sleeve to wipe at their face, trying to remove some of the dirt. It wasn’t much of an improvement. They sighed. They could always take a shower or something later. 

A walk sounded best. They wanted some time to leave the house and process everything that had happened. They had accepted it all so passively, but their stomach was a knot of anxiety. Frisk walked out the front door and down the steps, ready to explore some the ruins. 

There were only a few buildings that weren’t in pieces. Grey, chipped columns decorated stone that was once etched with what looked like pictures and symbols. The remnants of paintings of bright flowers and odd-looking animals covered the walls and floors. Some of the houses had mosaic floors that had withstood the time spent exposed to the elements. Frisk kneeled down to look at them, running their fingers over smooth depictions of suns and planetary bodies. One house had an intact roof, and above them Frisk saw a map of constellations and galaxies that looked similar to what they had seen when they awoke. They were right, however. There was no one at all around. There was, however, a flower. It was sitting outside one of the buildings. It had bright, white petals that shimmered, untouched by any dirt or dust from the surrounding area. They walked over to it and kneeled down. They reached out a hand to touch a petal, but pulled back quickly when it turned to look at them.

“Hi!” it said. A small face smiled out from the center of the plant. Frisk shouted and fell backwards, scooting away. The plant didn’t move towards them, it just kept smiling.

“What are you?” They asked.

“Why, I’m a flower, of course. My names Flowey! Flowey the flower!”

“Do…all flowers talk here?”

Flowey laughed like Frisk had told a particularly funny joke.

“Of course not. Only some of us do.”

“Ok…why are you out here all by yourself? Toriel said there wasn’t anyone else here.”

This seemed to take the flower by surprise. Its smile faltered and for a moment it looked almost concerned. 

“Are you with Toriel right now?” it asked. Frisk shook their head. The flower sighed. “Alright good. What are you doing here anyway? You’re a human.”

“I’m not…sure why I’m here, actually. My ship crashed and I can’t really remember anything.”

“Ahh I see.” Flowey looked like it was considering something. “I think I may know how to help you. You want your memory back, right?”

Frisk nodded again.

“Well it’s not going to come back on its own. You came through the Barrier. It keeps all of us in here and erases the memories of any human who passes through it. You need to find the King. He can reverse the barrier’s effects and you can go home.”

Could that really be it? Is that all they had to do? Their heart was beating in their chest as they considered it. They enjoyed Toriel, but they must be here for a reason. They needed to get their memory back and figure out what it was. 

“Where is the King? No one else is here.”

“Hmm…that part may be tricky. Ah I got it!” It’s leaves shook with excitement, like it had a really brilliant idea. “The King is down on the main planet. You’ll have to take the teleporter.”

“Teleporter? You guys have a teleporter?”

“Of course we do! It’s left over from a long time ago, but it should work. It’s downstairs in the house. Just use that and zap yourself straight to the capitol! That’s where the King lives.”

“Alright. Thank you.” Frisk stood up and brushed some of the dust off. “I’m going to go now.”

“Wait!” Flowey shouted. Frisk turned to look at it. 

“What?”

“Don’t tell Toriel about it. Or me.”

“Why not?”

Flowey looked around before gesturing for Frisk to come closer. They leaned down so the plant could whisper.

“She’s not as nice as she seems. Be careful, okay?”

A chill ran down Frisk’s spine when it said that. Not as nice as she seemed? Something about that just didn’t add up, but they nodded anyways. Flowey smiled and waved a leaf at them as they walked away. Frisk waved and turned and ran back to the house.

When they arrived their breath was heavy in their chest and their muscles were aching. Their previously broken arm was function again but was sore from the movement. They rested it gently at their side and caught their breath on the doorstep. Composed, they opened the door and walked inside.

“Oh have you returned? How was your walk, my child?” Toriel called from the other room. She was singing some sort of lullaby quietly, though they couldn’t quite make out the words. Frisk followed the sound of her voice and saw she was in the kitchen.

“It was nice. What were you singing?” they said. Toriel nodded as she stirred a pot on the stove.

“I’m glad to hear that. I was singing an old song, don’t mind me.” she said. Frisk shook their head.

“It was nice.”

Toriel smiled. “Alright, since this is your first day here, I thought we could forgo snail soup. Instead I’ve made some vegetable stew.” She served some into a couple bowls and brought it over. She handed one bow to frisk along with a spoon and a glass of water. Frisk’s throat was still dry and they gladly took the water and drank it. Toriel sat down and smiled at them, taking small bites of her soup. Frisk tried some. They weren’t sure what kind of vegetables were in it, but it was delicious. 

“Oh I almost forgot,” she said, “I have a present for you!” She grabbed something from one of her pockets and placed it on the table in front of them. It was a small, shiny disc on a string. “It’s a communication disc. You tell it who you want to contact, and it will call their disc as long as they are in range. Now you can call me whenever you like.”

“Thank you.” Frisk said, taking the disc and slipping it over their head. They ate in silence for a few minutes with just the crackling of the fire to keep them company. After a while, Toriel spoke up again.

“How do you like it here, my child?”

“It’s nice. But also kind of lonely, I think.”

“I know. That is why I am so glad you are here. I’ve missed having someone else around. I’ve even started preparing some books for your education.”

“My…wait what?” Frisk stopped eating and looked at her. Toriel looked away.

“Oh…I mean…” she said, putting her own spoon down. “I was hoping you would be staying here with me.”

“I mean…I’d like to. You’ve been so nice to me and everything, and I appreciate you healing me. But I have to get down to the planet.”

Toriel was silent for a moment.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay here? I have many books we can read from, and games we can play.”

“I’m sorry.” Frisk said softly, but firmly. “I really need to go.”

“Please excuse me.” Toriel pushed her chair away from the table and stood up. “Go ahead and finish your dinner. I’ll return shortly.” She slid out of the room and Frisk put down their spoon to follow her. She walked across the hall to her room and they took the opportunity to slip down the stairs across from the front door. They felt bad leaving her like that, but they needed to find the King. At the bottom of the stairs was a long, blue hallway, the same color as Toriel’s dress. Gold stars and faded paintings of planets and constellations decorated the walls. Frisk didn’t take time to appreciate them like they had the ruins. They broke out into a run to make it to the end of the hall.

They took a left and ended up in a large garden. Something that felt akin to sunlight was filtering down from some unknown source in the ceiling. There was dirt here that seemed more fruitful than the surface with many vegetables planted in it and dozens of white flowers surrounding a large, flat plate. On the wall across from them was some sort of small, square machine that was only just bigger than their hand. It almost looked like some kind of machine. Frisk walked closer to the disc on the floor. The surface looked like abalone shell, reflecting waves of rainbow colors. It was mesmerizing, a swirling array that danced beneath their feet. They took a step towards it, but stopped when they saw a familiar face amongst the white flowers.

“Flowey?” Frisk whispered. “What are you doing here?”

Flowey looked scared and it gestured towards something on the ground.”

“Hurry, take this. She’ll be down here soon. She’s going to kill you like she did her son.”

Frisk’s heart fell and their stomach turned. A chill ran through them at the word ‘kill’. There’s no way Toriel could ever kill anyone…could she? They looked at what the flower was pointing at and reached down to grab it. It was a large, sharp knife. Their hand was shaking as they held it, and for a moment they wanted to drop it. But what if this was the only protection against her? 

“Flowey-“ Frisk started to say, but the plant was gone. All that was left was the dozens of identical blooms that decorated the room. Then, from behind them, they heard footsteps. 

“Frisk? My child? What are you doing down here?”

Frisk turned around and the confusion on Toriel’s face turned to concern when she saw the knife.

“What are you doing with that?”

“What happened to your son?” They asked. Toriel’s face fell.

“Where did you hear about him?”

“Please, just answer me. What happened to him?”

She took a deep breath and looked down at her hands. Frisk held the knife up defensively. 

“He died.” she said. “A long time ago.”

Why were they even afraid of her? There was no way she was dangerous. She had been so nice. But Flowey’s warning was fresh in their mind.

“Did you kill him?”

“What? No! No of course not!” Toriel looked genuinely upset now. Her pleasant smile was gone, replaced by eyes full of tears. They almost looked like they were filled with stars. “My child,” she said, “are you afraid of me?”

“I just want to get down to the planet, I’m sorry.” they said, not answering her question. They weren’t entirely sure what the truth was, anyway. Toriel tried to take a step towards them, reaching out as if to grab them. Frisk’s heart was heavy in their chest and their pulse was beating in their ears. They swung the knife, feeling it connect. Toriel screamed and backed up, cradling a cut on her hand. Some kind of dark blue liquid covered the knife. It looked like it was filled with stars like her tears were. What were these monsters made of? Frisk couldn’t look at the betrayal they knew was on her face. Tears welled up in their own eyes and they wiped at them with the sweater she had given them.

“Please, don’t go.” she said desperately. It sounded as if everything in the whole world relied on Frisk staying. For just a moment, they considered it. It would be so easy to just put the knife down, the leave this room and never come back, and to live up in the ruins with the nice woman who had healed and cared for them. But they couldn’t. It was too important to find the King. If he was the only one who could get their memory back, they had to find him no matter what. Frisk took another step back, feeling their heel connect with the solid surface. 

‘I’m sorry.” they whispered, tears still staining their cheeks. They looked up at Toriel as they took another step backwards, watching her face as she cried for them. Then, with a swirl of bright light, they were gone.


	2. Fresh Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I've gotten a lot of positive response to this fic, and I'm glad because I really like writing it.
> 
> Since someone was wondering if I'd given up on it yet, no I haven't. My plan for updating is at least once a week, but sometimes more often if I get the chance. I have finals coming up soon, so until Christmas break (basically December 11th) I won't be super free to write every couple days. I absolutely will have a chapter up at least once a week, though so thank you for being patient with me.
> 
> If any of you feel like you want to throw out what you think is going to happen or any general thoughts, feel free to comment or send me a message on Tumblr. http://bewvitched.tumblr.com. I love hearing what people think. <3
> 
> Again, thank you to http://2mi127.tumblr.com for coming up with this AU and letting me write about it.

Going through the teleporter felt like a sudden fall, the gripping anticipation in your gut before everything disappears beneath you. It was an ache that was more than just pain – it was fear and excitement. Frisk felt as though they were floating, bright lights shining around them. Then everything stopped. They collapsed to the ground, knife still clutched in their hand. Their knees hit the plate beneath them, hard, and they hissed in pain. They painfully pushed themselves to their feet and took a look around. It was snowing here, the small, white flakes fell intermittently. They were in some sort of clearing of pine trees. A few lanterns were casting a dull, yellow glow as they hung over the snow. It almost looked like they were floating, but that could have been merely an illusion. The air was silent, not even the whisper of the wind could be heard. Somewhere behind them, Frisk heard the light crunching of snow beneath shoes and they stood still, gripping the blade.

“Human.” The voice was low and sinister. It tugged at their stomach, but they weren’t quite sure why. Did they know this person? They turned around to face him. A short skeleton stood in front of them. He had a large grin plastered on his face, two specks of white for pupils in his dark eyesockets, and was wearing a hoodie and shorts. Frisk wondered if skeletons could even get cold. The skeleton seemed a little concerned as he cast his eyes over them.

“Woah. You…uh…look a little dusty there. You alright?” he said, his tone picking up a little. Frisk looked down at themselves. They were still covered in a layer of fine dirt from the surface of the moon when they met Flowey. They saw his eyes connect with the blade in their hand and he took a small step back. It took them a moment to realize why he looked so worried – the blade still had some of Toriel’s blood on it. They opened their mouth, ready to explain what happened, but before they could they were hit by a wave of energy.

“It…isn’t what it looks like…” they stuttered out. The skeleton’s pupils were gone now, leaving nothing but dark voids that stared into Frisk as if judging all their sins.

“I thought this time would be different, kiddo.” he said. His voice was dark again, and they suddenly felt the need to run away and hide. They considered throwing the knife away, but with the look on his face, Frisk didn’t want to risk being defenseless against another monster.

“What?” they asked.

“Don’t you ever get tired of this?”

Get tired of this? Frisk was confused. Had he mistaken them for someone else? Was there another human running around, some kind of doppelganger, that was causing people to attack them on sight?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I don’t even know who you are.” they pleaded. The skeleton faltered for a moment, and it almost seemed like he would calm down. His expression hardened again, however.

“Nice try, kid. Gotta admit, that’s a new one. I’m sorry but I can’t let you take him again.” 

The skeleton was starting to glow, the magic around him looked like a small galaxy with stars that flickered. The energy pressing down on Frisk was stifling and their breath felt caught in their chest. It almost seemed as if the snow had stopped, or that time around them had gone completely still. Something in their chest was squeezing painfully, like someone was grabbing and clenching their heart. They took a shaky breath and closed their eyes. When they opened them again, they tossed the knife to the side, listening as it fell into the snow a few feet away.

“Look, see? I don’t mean you any harm.” They held their hands out as if to show the monster that they were unarmed. The skeleton stopped for a moment and looked at them. Then, the pressure faded and the light returned to their eyes. Frisk took a deep breath, relishing in the feeling of air in their lungs.

“You really don’t remember anything, do you?” he said. His voice was no longer soulless, but he still sounded sad, like he knew something they didn’t.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

In a matter of seconds it was like they were looking at a completely different person. The skeleton’s face brightened and the grin returned. He held out a hand, keeping the other one shoved in his pocket.

“I think we might’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, kid. The name’s Sans. Sans the skeleton.”

Frisk reached out a hand and took his lightly. The skeleton shook it, releasing a loud noise into the air.

“Haha! The whoopee cushion in the hand trick, gets ‘em every time.” 

Frisk laughed as they pulled their hand back. They wanted to still be afraid of him, but it was like dealing with someone else entirely. His entire aura felt different. “So what brings you down here, kid. No one’s come through the teleporter in a long time.”

“I’m trying to get down the planet’s surface. I need to find the King.”

“The King, huh? So you’re trying to go find Asgore.” Sans shoved the other hand in his pocket and started walking away. Frisk jumped off the platform and stuck close behind him, glancing back at the knife they left in the snow. It was almost completely covered now, but the flakes had almost stopped falling. 

“I suppose so. Is there more than one?”

“Nah, just the one and only.” He looked straight ahead as he walked. “Any reason you need to go see him?”

Frisk thought about what Flowey had said before, about not telling Toriel their reason for meeting the King. They wondered if that applied to everyone else, too. Would it be so bad if they told Sans about their memory?

“I just have something to talk to him about,” they said. It wasn’t a lie. Sans shrugged.

“I’d love to help you kid, but-“ he started. Sans stopped and motioned for Frisk to stay still too. They did, keeping an ear out for any noises. Someone was walking towards them, the snow crunching beneath boots. “Quick,” he whispered, “get behind that pile of snow.” He pointed at a large pile of snow off the side of the path Frisk ran over and ducked behind it. The footsteps got closer, then stopped.

“Sup, bro.” Sans said.

“Sans what’s going on over here? I thought I heard something.” This voice was louder and higher pitched. When he mentioned the teleporter, Frisk froze.

“I dunno anything about that, bro.”

“How can you not know anything about it? Have you been over here napping again? Wait a minute! Why are you here? I asked you to patrol the Northern Gate hours ago!”

“Sorry, bro, but I gotta keep an eye on the teleporter in case something comes through.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, brother. That old thing doesn’t even work anymore! Meanwhile a human could have slipped right by while you were lollygagging!” The voice sighed loudly. “Sans I need you to keep diligent on patrol while I am fixing the southern teleporter!”

“Sure thing, bro.” Sans said.

The voice sighed again. “I can’t believe I, the Great Papyrus, am stuck with menial repair tasks! How am I supposed to train to join the Royal Guard like this? I can’t even make it down to Starfall to meet Undyne! She’s going to be so disappointed if I can’t get it to work soon.”

“Wow, bro, it really sounds like you’re working yourself…down to the bone.”

“SANS!”

“Sorry, bro, did you not think that was humerus?”

Frisk laughed at the pun before they could stop themselves. They threw a hand over their mouth in horror. 

“Sans! What was that?” Papyrus said. Frisk silently chastised themselves. The pun wasn’t even that funny, why did they laugh? They could hear the boots stepping closer to their hiding spot. Frisk took a deep breath. Sans hadn’t hurt them yet, and he called Papyrus ‘bro’. Maybe Papyrus would be alright, too. They stood up from their hiding spot.

A very tall skeleton loomed over their head. He took a step back in shock when he saw them. He turned and tried to whisper to Sans.

“Sans! Is that a human?” His voice was still very loud.

“Actually, bro, I think that’s a pile of snow.”

“Oh.”

“But what’s that behind the pile of snow?”

Papyrus gasped. “A HUMAN!” He crossed his arms and gazed at Frisk triumphantly. “Your time is up, human! I, the Great Papyrus, will capture you and deliver you to Undyne! Then! Then…I’m not sure what’s next. But! I’m sure it will be very terrible indeed!” He laughed and even though Frisk was sure he meant to be threatening, they couldn’t help but smile a little. Sans was still grinning behind him. 

“How can you take them to Undyne if the teleporter is broken?”

Papyrus’ mouth fell open. “You’re right, Sans! You will just have to capture them while I finish my work. Then, when it is fixed, I will take them straight to Undyne!” He laughed again and started running back through the forest. He stopped and turned back to them. “Do not worry, human! Soon I will thoroughly jape you!” he said before bounding away. Frisk stood there in silence for a minute, just looking at Sans. Sans still had his hands in his pockets and was smiling like everything was some big joke. Frisk couldn’t help but be a little worried about being ‘captured’. They still had Flowey’s warning on their mind. Sans and Papyrus didn’t seem so bad. Maybe he was just some bitter monster trapped on the moon. Their heart sank as they thought about Toriel. 

“So what now?” they asked. Sans shrugged.

“My brother really loves to hunt for humans. It would really make his day if he captured you in one of his traps.”

“What if I don’t want to be captured?”

“It’s not so bad. He’s really not dangerous, even if he tries to be.”

“Are you going to kidnap me, then?” They asked, looking him up and down. 

“Me? I can’t. I’m super busy. I have a ton of work to do. A skele-ton.” he said, winking. “Just follow this path through the forest. In a while you’ll end up in Stardin. I’ll meet you there.”

Frisk stepped out from behind the snow pile and back onto the path. The looked down the path the way Papyrus had run off. There were lanterns and snow piles lining the road as far as they could see. Sans started humming something, like some kind of familiar lullaby. They turned to look at him, to ask him what the song was, but he was gone. They turned back to the path and sighed. This world was so unbelievable. Monsters, magic, crazy skeletons, talking flowers. Why did they keep having this feeling tearing at their stomach, trying to convince them to trust Flowey. None of the monsters had hurt them, and yet something about the look in their eyes made Frisk afraid.

They tried to quell the rising fear in their stomach as they walked down the path. Now that the snow had stopped they could tell that the lanterns were indeed floating. Probably more magic. They wondered why they hadn’t panicked more at the idea of monsters and magic. Were there monsters where they came from? Why did everything seem so…familiar? They looked up at the sky. Clouds covered any possibility of seeing the stars and their heart sank.

After a while, they came across a table in front of a maze-like pattern of tilled dirt. A note was placed gently on the table with a rock to keep it from flying away in the wind. Frisk picked it up, struggling to read the chickenscratch handwriting.

_‘I see you have come across my ingenious puzzle! What lies before you is the great Danger Maze! It is filled with traps, even more puzzles, and the maze itself is so perfect you will never find your way out! Nyeh heh heh!_

_P.S. Please wait until the Danger Maze has finished growing to proceed._

Frisk put the note back down with the rock on it and moved to stand at the entrance to the maze. It was rather large, with twisting pathways. In the middle of some of them were signs that read, ‘Place trap here’. Frisk walked straight through, being careful to step over the tilled lines, and continued down the path. They looked at the trees lining the road, wondering if anything lived in them. They hadn’t seen a single other living creature besides Sans since they had left the teleporter. The air seemed almost dead, like nothing was around, or like they were hiding. The hair on the back of their neck stood up. Sans and Papyrus weren’t dangerous, but what if something out there was? Were the monsters afraid of them, or something else entirely?

Frisk wrapped their arms around themselves. The chilled air was starting to bite through their sweater, and the shorts Toriel had given them left their legs numb. Was it always this cold or were they just noticing now? The sound of their breath was the only thing penetrating the air, the steamy cloud rising in front of them. They picked up their pace, walking a little faster. Something flickered beside them and they swung around to look. One of the lanterns had stopped glowing. In a moment it shuttered back to life and they breathed a sigh of relief. 

When they started walking again they felt a sensation of being watched. Were there monsters hiding in the forest, gazing out at them, waiting to attack? Something crunched in the snow behind them and they broke out into a sprint, hoping the town Sans mentioned would come up soon. They chanced a look back where they came from and their heart dropped into their stomach. The lanterns were going dark, flickering in and out before finally sputtering away. They could have sworn there was some kind of shadow looming, crawling closer. Their lungs were aching as they ran, their numb legs straining in the cold. 

The shadows seemed to be reaching, slithering over the ground as their feet hit the soft snow. They were facing forward again, trying not to focus on the darkness that felt as though it were creeping ever closer. They heard soft whispers behind them, but they didn’t seem to be any words they recognized. It started far away, like two beings were having a hushed conversation, but it slowly approached, getting closer and closer until Frisk could have sword the voices were right beside them. Tears pricked at their eyes as they pushed themselves forward, trying not to slip on the snow beneath them. Their heart was pounding in their throat and their head was spinning. Were they even making progress towards the town? Were they stuck in some kind of loop, some hideous purgatory that left them running away from this monster forever? The scenery around them was all the same, just trees and snow and lanterns. While they had once thought them beautiful, now it felt like a cage. 

Then, finally, there was a blissful relief in scenery. On the side of the road there was a small shack. Sitting inside was Sans, his head was lying on his hand and a very bored expression hung on his face. Frisk stopped and called out to him.

“Sans!”

Sans looked up. “Oh, hey kid. I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

“We have to get out of here! Something is coming!”

“You alright, kid? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

They pointed at the path where they ran from. Their chest was heaving and their head was spinning. Sans looked at where they were gesturing.

“Uhh…not to say I don’t believe you, but are you sure something’s coming?”

“I…” they looked at the path. The lanterns were lit up again and there was no sign of a shadow or any monsters. What was that? Did it go away? “I guess it was just my imagination.”

“Happens to me too, kiddo. Say, how about you and I go to Grillby’s and get some dinner.” He stepped out from behind the shack and walked up to Frisk.

“Sure?” they said. They still weren’t convinced that something wasn’t chasing them, but maybe it would be more wary to follow them if they were with Sans. The skeleton shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I guess I can let you drag me away from my work for a break. Follow me. I know a shortcut.” He walked down the path and Frisk followed after him, glancing behind them one last time.


	3. Stardust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the third chapter for you all! Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me this far. This fic has more words and pages than any one fic I've written before and I'm so excited to continue with it. 
> 
> Near the end of this chapter there is a song and I recorded it so you can get the idea of what it sounds like. http://bewvitched.tumblr.com/post/133961853963/this-is-a-little-lullaby-thing-i-wrote-for-my
> 
> Again, thanks to all my readers, and to http://2mi127.tumblr.com. 
> 
> I'm sorry if the song is a little hard to read. I tried to space it out better but boy I suffer.

Whatever had been following them had seemed to disappear. They weren’t walking with Sans for long, and in that time nothing else had shown up. There were no more shadows creeping behind them or flickering lights. It was strange, however, how fast they arrived in town. It only took a minute or two, but Frisk could have sworn the sentry station wasn’t that close to Stardin. Nevertheless they ended up standing in the middle of the busy main street. It seemed to be darker than when Frisk had arrived, with the lanterns lining the town’s streets casting large, warm circles over the icy crystals. The snow sparkled beneath them, reflected in the twilight. The clouds still covered the sky and Frisk was a bit disappointed. They were hoping to at least see the stars.

Other monsters were meandering down the road and in and out of buildings. A few seemed like homes, and only a couple actually had shop signs in the windows. Sans nodded at a few people as they passed. Frisk stayed quiet and wrapped their arms around themselves. The air still bit through their clothes and they wished that Toriel had given them at least a pair of long pants. They wondered if any of the stores would sell some winter clothes they could put on. They thought about asking Sans, but they kept their mouth shut. They hoped they wouldn’t be trapped there for long enough to need them anyways. If they couldn’t get out tonight, they’d find a teleporter to the planet tomorrow. 

At the end of the street they stopped in front of a large restaurant. Warmth spread from the door whenever someone pushed it open to leave. Sans walked up to the door and opened it for Frisk. They ran into the building, thankful for the heat that began to permeate their frozen layers. They rubbed their hands together as Sans slid into a booth. All the other tables were taken and the voices of many monsters carried throughout the room. Frisk felt a twinge of fear creeping through their stomach as they looked around and they were happy to have something solid to hide behind. There were creatures that looked like they were made of goo in one corner, and many dogs sitting around a table laughing and drinking. There was even some large man made completely out of flames standing behind the counter. He was wiping a glass out when they arrived, but Sans waved to him and he put it down. He slid out from behind the bar and walked over. 

“Hey Grillbz. Nice night tonight, huh?” Sans said. The man said nothing, letting the soft crackling of his flames speak instead. The skeleton grinned at him. “I’ll have the usual.” Sans turned to face Frisk. “What about you?”

“Uhh…” They stumbled for a minute, all too aware of the bonfire monster standing inches away. What did monsters eat? Was it poisonous? Toriel had normal soup, but she seemed to be isolated from everyone else. There could be anything on the menu. Without missing a beat, Sans turned back to the man.

“Make that two.”

Grillby nodded slowly and slipped back to his position behind the bar before moving through a door to what Frisk assumed must be the kitchen. It was so strange. When he walked it was as if his footsteps didn’t exist, like his form floated over the ground. He was wearing clothes and shoes, too, and they couldn’t help but wonder why everything didn’t just burn away. Was it more magic? Frisk put their head in their hands.

“You alright, kid?” Sans asked. Frisk didn’t even look up as they sighed.

“I don’t know. I guess? Maybe.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

They didn’t respond at first. They lifted their head and stared at the skeleton, keeping their eyes trained on his face. He was smiling, as he always did, and his eyes locked with theirs.

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it already. Stop acting like you’re my friend.”

Sans was silent for a moment, his empty sockets staring them down. Grillby returned with two baskets of fries and a bottle of ketchup. He put them down and walked away, leaving the tension thick in the air. Neither of them moved, Frisk’s breath was caught in their throat. The sounds of the room were drowned out by the deafening silence of the moment, caught like a spider in a web.

“Is that what you think?” Sans’ voice broke through and shattered the moment like glass. The bustle of the restaurant returned, but Frisk’ s breath was still tight in their chest.

“What am I supposed to think? I show up and you start threatening me! What…” they lowered their voice to a whisper and leaned in, “What even was that? It was like you were going to kill me just by looking at me. And now here we are. What am I supposed to think after that?”

He was silent for a moment more, as if considering his options. His eyes flicked over Frisk’s face, looking for something. What was it? A hint of a lie?

“What are you doing here? Why did you come to Stardin?”

“I…” Something about him was always tripping them up. Flowey’s warning still echoed in their mind. Could they even trust a talking flower? But at the same time, how much could they trust a skeleton who wants to kill them. The look on Toriel’s face as they lashed out with the knife gripped at their heart. Betrayal, despair. Was that the same look on her son’s face when she killed him? Was that a lie, too? They realized Sans was dodging their questions, but expecting answers from them all the same.

“I can’t say.” they said defiantly. Sans looked frustrated.

“Where did you come from?”

“I can’t say.”

“Where are you going?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Sans sighed. “Who are you, kid?”

“I don’t know.” They answered quickly and without meaning to. It spilled from their mouth before they could catch and they instantly regretted it.

“What?” he said. There was that face again, the look of confusion and concern that they saw in the forest when they said they didn’t know what he was talking about. That look that said he knew more about them then they did. “You said your name was Frisk.”

“I am Frisk.”

“But you don’t know who you are.”

“No. I can’t remember anything.”

“Strange,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You keep talking like that, like you know more than you’re telling me.”

“Honesty goes both ways, kiddo.” His voice was cold and hard, not the same warm tone that was just telling jokes and laughing. They felt a chill on their spine but they kept their face solid and resolved, like stone. Sans took the ketchup and smothered his fries in it. Then he began eating them, slowly and one at a time. Frisk looked down at their own food. Their stomach finally registered the meal sitting in front of them and for the first time since they were with Toriel, they realized they were hungry. They took a small bite of a fry without ketchup, checking to make sure it was normal food. They weren’t the best fries ever, a little greasy and not very crunchy, but they were still good. Frisk squirted some ketchup on them and ate a few, letting the hunger die out. Sans didn’t say anything else while they ate, he just kept his eyes on them as if he expected Frisk to jump up and stab him. But then again, they had shown up with a knife covered in monster blood. What was Sans supposed to think?

“Where do I go to get out of here?” they asked. It was time to leave. The sooner they got to the King, the sooner they could leave the planet and get back to…wherever they came from.

“You can’t.”

“Excuse me?” 

Sans shrugged. The weight in the air had lifted and his cheerful demeanor seemed to be returning again.

“Teleporter’s busted, remember? Pap’s been working on it.”

“Wait. Is that the only way out of here? I can’t just walk?”

Sans snickered. “Kid, where do you think you are?”

“Is this not the planet?” Their heart fell as they realized what Sans was insinuating. 

“This is Stardin. It’s the only stop between the moon and the surface. We’re floating thousands of miles above the atmosphere.” He stated this like it meant nothing, just a fact from a history book instead of implying that they were stuck with monsters who wanted to capture and maybe kill them.

“So I’m trapped here? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Trapped is such a harsh word. It’s more like…a forced vacation. Until Papyrus fixes it, that is.”

“How long will that take?” they asked, heart sinking further and further into their stomach. They weren’t hungry anymore and they left their fries alone.

“Well…my brother is very cool, but he isn’t the best with technology. It might take a while.”

“What now? What am I supposed to do?”

“Well there’s an inn in town. You could stay there.”

Frisk sighed and put a hand on their head, gently rubbing their temple. The noise was starting to wear down on them, causing a steady, pulsing ache behind their eyes. It wasn’t too bad to stick around for a while, they figured. Even if Sans or Papyrus tried to pull something, what could they do? It’s not like they could take them anywhere. And if it’s hopeless to get off this hunk of rock without the teleporter, they didn’t have much of a choice.

“I guess I’m kind of out of options. I can’t go back to where I came from, so that’s really all I can do.” They pushed themselves out of the booth and stood up, brushing off a couple crumbs from their food from their shirt. They reached for their pocket, a chill piercing them when they realized they didn’t have anything in them.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have money. I…how am I supposed to pay for food or a room like this?” They took a deep breath and rubbed their face with their hands. The prospect of having to try and sleep in the snow in shorts was making them want to try their luck returning to Toriel. They kept seeing her face, how scared and upset she looked, and Frisk knew they couldn’t go back. Never again.

“Don’t worry about it, kid. You can stay with us.”

Frisk lifted their head. “Really?”

“Yeah, sure.” Sans shrugged as he got up. He waved to Grillby. “Put it on my tab.”

Grillby nodded and Sans led the way out of the restaurant, pushing open the door and releasing the warm atmosphere back into the frigid outside. Frisk felt their skin shudder as they were whipped with the cold wind as it brushed past them. They hadn’t even realized how warm Grillby’s was until then. They rubbed their legs where the shorts didn’t cover, trying to regain some circulation. There was no way they could ever survive if they tried to sleep outside. They were thankful for Sans saying they could stay with him and Papyrus. If those two were going to kill them, Frisk figured they might as well be warm and full when it happened. They blew into their hands, rubbing them together to try and warm them up. Sans glanced over at them and he stopped. Frisk looked as he unzipped his jacket and handed it to them. They took it gently, as if it might explode. “Won’t you get cold?” they asked as they slipped it over their shoulders.

“Nah,” he said, winking, “I’m a skeleton. Nothing really gets under my skin.” 

Frisk chuckled, letting the warmth of the jacket surround them. It smelled a little weird, really unfamiliar, but it was soft inside and it trapped in all the warmth. They barely even felt the chill on their legs. “Are you sure, Sans?” they quipped back at him. “It’s bone chilling out here.” 

Sans grinned and nudged them gently. “Good one, kid.”

Frisk smiled. They didn’t have to walk far to make it to their house. The citizens had almost cleared out for the night, the shops had closed signs in the windows and lights were beginning to flicker off. The lanterns that hung in the streets and in the forest still shone brightly – golden beacons in an otherwise white expanse of snow. Snow had started to fall again and Frisk figured this is why the lanterns were so important. Without them they wouldn’t be sure which direction they were walking. Sans was fast for someone so small and soon he was walking a ways ahead of them. Frisk picked up their pace to catch up to him, ready to call out his name, but a voice stopped them in their tracks.

“Hiya!”

They turned around. A white flower was barely distinguishable against the snow. Frisk’s heart jumped into their throat.

“Flowey?” they said. “What are you doing here?”

“Why, helping you of course!” Its voice was still as cheerful as ever, dripping with kindness and sincerity. Frisk took a step back. Flowey’s face fell and sadness spread over his small face.

“You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

“How do I know I can trust you? How did you even get down here?”

“Of course you can trust me! I warned you about Toriel, didn’t I?”

Flowey had said that Toriel was secretly evil, that she would have killed them. That she murdered her own son. 

“Please leave me alone. I don’t want your help.” Frisk said as they turned to run. 

“Wait! Stop! You need me!” The flower called out as they ran. Frisk didn’t care, they bolted through the snow and ice, letting the plant fall far behind. Sans wasn’t very far ahead. The snow was coming down much heavier now, but he had stopped to wait for them. The white flakes were beginning to accumulate on him and Frisk suddenly felt bad for taking his jacket. He had said he couldn’t feel the cold, though, so maybe it wasn’t a problem.

“I thought you’d frozen solid back there,” he said.

“Sorry. I’m here.”

They were in front of a house now, and Frisk assumed it was his. He walked up the front steps and opened the door, knocking the snow off his shoes before he entered. There was a clanging coming from inside. Peering in through the doorway, Frisk saw Papyrus in the kitchen. He was wearing an apron and frantically cooking something on the stove. He stopped what he was doing when Sans walked in and his face lit up.

“Sans! Welcome home, brother! I am making some spaghetti if you would like some.” He paused for a moment when he saw Frisk in the doorway. “Sans! You’ve captured the human!”

“Yeah, bro. Got ‘em real good.”

“Excellent! Interesting tactic using your jacket as a trap. I guess that thing has more use than just smelling bad! Now I can take them to Undyne! Oh she will be so proud of me! Finally I, the Great Papyrus, will get the recognition I deserve!”

“Is the teleporter fixed?” Sans asked. 

“Hmmm…no. I suppose the delivery will have to wait. But at least I have the human now! What an excellent day, brother!” Papyrus returned to his cooking and Frisk walked inside, shutting the door behind them. Sans moved to sit on the couch that was near the door but Papyrus stopped him.

“Wait a minute, Sans. Could you please set the human up in the shed? There should be some food in the corner,” he said. Frisk grimaced. A shed? There was no way that was heated. They could hear the wind whipping outside the door and they shivered despite the warm jacket on their shoulders.

“Don’t you think it’s a little cold outside, bro? You don’t want them to freeze to death do you?”

“Excellent point, Sans! Yes they will just have to stay in here tonight. They can sample some of my amazing spaghetti!”

Frisk was a little concerned about the fact that they were talking about giving them to Undyne. Who was that anyway? What did they want with them. They cast an anxious glance at Sans who gestured as if to say ‘don’t worry about it.” They sat down next to him on the couch and waited.

Despite the fact that they had eaten, they tried the food that Papyrus eventually presented to them. Sans ate it slowly, robotically, while every once in a while giving his brother a thumbs up. Frisk tried a bite and immediately regretted it. The bitter taste hung around in their mouth even as they took another bite. Papyrus looked very excited and they didn’t have it in them to deny him. They ate about half the plate before they couldn’t eat anymore and they thanked him for the wonderful food. Sans walked up the stairs and into what Frisk assumed was his room, though he left his jacket with them. Papyrus brought them a pillow and a blanket and eventually retired up to his own room. When the tall skeleton walked up the stairs and flicked off the light, Frisk laid out on the couch and let themselves try to sleep. 

They had barely crossed the threshold of slumber before a noise got their attention. It was a slight creaking, as if someone were walking and trying to be quiet. They cracked open one eye and watched a short shadow slip past them and out the front door. Where was Sans going in the middle of the night? Frisk knew they probably shouldn’t follow people, but they felt a curiosity spreading through them and they knew they wouldn’t be able to sleep without knowing. They put on Sans’ jacket which was hanging on the edge of the couch and slid outside silently, following behind the skeleton. They were close enough to not lose him, but far enough away. He took a left from the house and continued on through the forest, cutting straight through the trees.

By the time Sans slowed down, they were far away from the town. An edge spread out in front of them, with small pieces of land floating a distance away, as if in a body of water. However the clouds were gone and stars spread out all around, a billion planets and stars sparkling in the darkness. Frisk took a deep breath, suddenly feeling very small as they saw the cosmos laid out before them. There were still lanterns here, but they became more sparse the further away from the city they were. Sans walked to the edge of the land and sat down on a blanket he pulled from over his arm. Frisk stopped, letting the silence fill the air as they waited. They knew one wrong move and Sans would catch them. A song began to carry over the wind. It was soft and sweet, like a lullaby, and Frisk’s heart skipped a beat. It was the same song Toriel had been humming. Something was tugging in their gut that almost felt like guilt. They saw Toriel in their mind again and they took a deep, shaky breath. Sans sat there for a moment, looking strange in just his turtleneck sweater. They realized they probably took his only jacket from him. Taking another deep breath, Frisk started towards him. Sans didn’t turn around as they approached, despite the fact that he must have heard their footsteps in the snow. The sat next to him on the blanket.

“What were you singing?” they asked. Sans shrugged.

“It’s an old song.”

“Would you sing it for me?”

Sans looked over at them and smiled. He seemed so at peace out here, with nothing around. He was looking out into infinity and he didn’t look scared or overwhelmed. He started humming a bit, then began to sing.

_We've been gone a thousand years_

_Banished from our home_

_Looking at the sky at night_

_Wishing for stars that aren't our own_

_We sorely regret our past_

_But the future is what we see_

_We won't make the same mistakes_

_It's time to rewrite history_

_There once was a child_

_A prince for our land_

_One day he found a stranger_

_A lost little lamb_

_Here we made a home for him_

_Loved him as ours_

_Little did we know of course_

_He saw us as stars_

Frisk took a deep breath, letting the song sink in. The words didn’t make any sense. They looked over at Sans who was holding a drawstring back attached to his neck. They hadn’t noticed it before, so maybe it was under his shirt. He ran a thumb over the material and took a deep breath.

“What’s that?” they asked. Sans didn’t look over.

“Did you know, kid, that when monsters die we become stars?”

“What?”

“Yep. Our bodies turn into stardust which collects in the sky and becomes a bright, new star.”

“Oh.” Frisk wasn’t sure what else to say. They became stars? They supposed that made sense, considering the starry liquid that seemed to be their blood, and the weird appearance of Sans’ magic. It just seemed so unbelievable. Frisk put a hand over their heart and turned to look forward. They could see the curve of the planet off to the left and they wondered where the moon was now. Was it behind them? On the other side of the world from them? Their stomach twinged again as they remembered how they hurt the woman who had tried to care for and love them. They betrayed her, accused her of murder, and then left her. They pulled Sans’ jacket closer, trying to absorb as much warmth as possible.

“I’m sorry,” they said. Sans looked over at them.

“What’re you sorry for?”

“I don’t know. But I guess I must have done something for you to attack me like you did. I can’t remember what it was, but I’m sorry.”

Sans smiled a soft, patient smile.

“Thanks, kid.”


	4. In the Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm sorry I disappeared. It's been a hard couple months for me. I've received all your super sweet comments and kudos and I just want to say I really appreciate all of them. I'm sorry if I don't reply to everyone, it makes me feel a little weird to reply to all the comments. But I do love every word. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far and I am hoping to get on a more regular posting schedule soon. <3
> 
> ALSO! I started a sideblog for this fic + general Outertale art. It's http://wishingforstars.tumblr.com if you want to check it out. It's still a bit under construction but I will have more WFS stuff on it soon.

The next day was much brighter. As they walked down the road, the sun shone on the snow. The shiny crystals glittered, unmelting, and Frisk couldn’t help but marvel at it. They had walked through this same snow the day before, but now it was beautiful and fresh, like an unbroken, cresting wave.

“Didn’t you have snow where you came from?” Sans asked. Frisk picked up a chilly fistful of the hardened powder and let it fall through their fingers. They wiped their wet hand on Sans’ jacket, which they were still wearing. He had taken them to the shop in town that morning and gotten Frisk some tights to go under their pants. The shopkeeper didn’t have a proper jacket, though, so Sans just shrugged and said they could borrow it for a while longer.

“I don’t know,” they said, “but it’s beautiful.”

“Sure is, kid.” Sans looked so different without his jacket, instead sporting his dark turtleneck that left him appearing almost like someone’s uncle. His drawstring bag was missing, but Frisk figured he had it tucked away so no one could see it.

Sans hadn’t mentioned the previous night at all. If they hadn’t woken up still wearing the coat, Frisk would have assumed it was a dream. Ever since then, as well, it almost seemed as though Sans was casting fewer fearful glances at them, but that could have been their imagination.

Frisk looked up as they saw Papyrus in the distance. He was kneeling next to what they assumed was the teleporter. It looked identical to the one they had taken to get there. Papyrus waved when he noticed them walking towards him and he stood up, brushing snow from his clothes.

 “Sans! Human!” he called out. “What are you doing here? Is the human proving to be too strong for you, brother?”

Sans glanced at Frisk and winked.

“Yup. They’re too tough for me to handle. Besides, I got some stuff to do today, so I thought they’d be better off with you.”

“Aha!” I knew this human was powerful! Why else would Undyne want them so badly? Worry not, brother, I shall keep my eye on them.” He squinted. “Hang on…’stuff to do’? You’re just going to go off and nap, aren’t you?”

“You caught me.” Sans turned around and waved before leaving. “Take good care of ‘em Papyrus.” Frisk turned to look at Papyrus as he shook his head and sighed before meeting their gaze.

“Well, human, it looks like it’s up to me, the Great Papyrus, to keep an eye on you. Worry not! Soon I will finish fixing this teleporter and I will give you to Undyne before you know it!”

“Who is this Undyne person anyway? Why does she want me?” Frisk asked. Papyrus paused for a moment.

“I’m…not sure why she wants you. But! I know she must have a very good reason! She is the head of the Royal Guard after all!” He kneeled down again and began to fiddle with a panel on the side of the platform. Occasionally he grabbed a tool from a nearby toolbox to use on the machinery. Frisk sat down on the cool, smooth surface of the teleporter, across from the side the skeleton was working on.

“Are you in the Royal Guard?” they asked. 

“Wowie! You sure do have a lot of questions. As for your answer…I’m not in the Royal Guard. Not yet. But soon! I’m very close to being a member. Undyne told me if I brought her a human, she’d let me in! Everyone tried to tell me that a human would never come, but here you are! Boy, Undyne is going to be so happy!”

Frisk wondered what kind of person this Undyne was. She sounded tough, but it also seemed like she was sort of cruel for sending Papyrus on this mission. It was almost as if she never expected him to actually find a human. And why did she even need a human in the first place? Frisk watched the rest of Papyrus’ work in silence.

After a while, the sun dimmed as clouds rolled in: light at first, then heavy and dense. Soon, snow began to fall and Frisk pulled their hood up and brought their legs closer to them. Papyrus looked at the sky and frowned.

“Hmm…it seems as though we should return home for now. I can’t fix this in the dark.” He stood up and brushed the snow from his legs before covering the panel and closing his toolbox. Frisk stood up, their legs stiff and sore from the cold platform. Papyrus watched as they stepped into the snow, which was now deep enough to cover their shoes. The cold powder, which had been beautiful before, was now wet and stinging on their skin. They began walking for only a little bit before Papyrus held up a hand to stop them.

“I think, human, it might be best if I carry you. I can’t deliver you to Undyne if you’re so cold you can’t walk! Here.” Papyrus crouched down for them and Frisk hesitated for a moment before climbing on his back. The skeleton held up their legs and began the trudge back to the house.

Being carried by a large skeleton wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world. His bones were hard and cold, though they were definitely warmer than the air. He was also fast, much faster than Frisk would have been in the snow, and it wasn’t long before they were outside the brothers’ house. Papyrus set them down and opened the door. Frisk wasted no time in running inside and wrapping themselves in a blanket. They took off their shoes and Sans’ jacket, which was now wet with melting snow, and huddled under the warm fabric. Wherever they had come from, it must not have been very cold.

Papyrus walked upstairs and knocked on one of the doors.

“Sans?” he called out. When he didn’t receive a response, he shrugged and walked back downstairs and into the kitchen.

“Well, human! It seems Sans hasn’t returned yet. I shall make you the finest spaghetti in the galaxy! Then we can eat it and wait for him to come home.”

Frisk nodded and Papyrus got to work. He swept around the small kitchen and Frisk was a little concerned when it looked like he was attacking the food. However, eventually the house was filled with the smell of pasta. They were a little worried about the spaghetti, considering the meal they had the night before. Even so, Papyrus’ excited face as he presented the plate of food made it hard to turn him down.

Papyrus sat next to them and turned on the TV to watch while they ate. It was some show about a robot, but it wasn’t very interesting. It was a good distraction, though, and they ate the spaghetti slowly while trying not to think about the clock that was ticking down to when they’d be given away. This mysterious Captain Undyne was looming over them like a shadow.

Sans hadn’t returned by the time they finished eating. Papyrus gathered their plates and washed them in the sink. He kept throwing glances at the door like he was expecting his brother to walk through at any moment. Frisk felt a knot of worry worming through their stomach by the time Papyrus went to bed. He was complaining loudly about not having Sans to read him a bedtime story. Frisk offered to substitute, but Papyrus turned them down, saying it wasn’t proper for his prisoner to read him to sleep. They weren’t sure how that was improper and eating together was fine, but they didn’t push it. Instead they snuggled up under the blanket and drifted to sleep.

***

“Sans! I fixed the teleporter!” Papyrus shouted from the door. Frisk frowned and opened their eyes. Light was streaming past him and onto the floor. Sans opened his door and yawned.

“What was that, bro?”

“The teleporter is fixed! We can bring the human to Undyne!”

“Really?” Sans rubbed his eyes. He sounded genuinely surprised that his brother had pulled it off and Frisk really couldn’t blame him. Papyrus was sweet, but they didn’t really peg him as technologically savvy. Frisk shoved the blanket off and sat up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Nerves began to twist in their stomach again. Papyrus still wanted to give them to Undyne. But, if they ever wanted to find the King, they would have to hope that’s where she was taking them.

Frisk put on their shoes and Sans’ jacket while Sans meandered down the stairs. He was still wearing just a turtleneck and it occurred to them that they might be wearing the only jacket he owned. They decided they would return it before Undyne took them. Papyrus led the way outside to the teleporter. Sans yawned.

“I’m proud of you, bro. How did you fix it so fast?”

“I had a little help! Of course I, the Great Papyrus, could have fixed it alone, but it went much faster with some assistance.”

Sans chuckled. “Is that right? Who did you find in Stardin to help you out? I didn’t know anyone around here knew how to work the teleporters.”

“Don’t worry, Sans. I’ll explain it all when we get there. My friend has been dying to meet you guys.”

Friend? The idea sounded awfully ominous to Frisk, but they held their tongue. Something in their gut was screaming at them, telling them to run, but they took a deep breath and ignored it. It was not the time for them to be worried about Undyne. They had to focus on finding the King and getting their memory back.

The town was quiet as they walked down the path to the teleporter. The snow had settled from the storm and the crusted powder sparkled in the morning light. It looked just as beautiful as the day before, but Frisk couldn’t bring themselves to be excited about it. Dread washed through them, filling them, until they were shaking. What if Undyne wanted to kill them? Could they even fight back against her? They were just a kid what could they do against the captain of the Royal Guard? They took another deep breath. Frisk knew they could do this. Even if the brothers wanted to throw them to certain doom, they could get past whatever obstacles were in their way and make it to the King. They glanced at Sans through the corner of their eye. Even though they knew he was in it to capture them from the beginning, a part of them was hoping he might try to stop Papyrus before it was too late. Maybe that night on the snowy edge had been a dream after all.

Finally, the teleporter was in sight. It was shining in the sunlight, a metallic purple against the bright white of the snow. Frisk’s breath caught in their throat and their heart jumped in their chest. Their senses were still screaming for them to run and they almost listened to them. What Frisk didn’t see, though, was Papyrus’ ‘friend’.

“Hey…Papyrus. I’m glad to hear you made a new friend but…uh…where are they?” Sans said, looking around.

“Hiya!” A voice said from near the teleporter. A chill ran through Frisk’s blood. No. There was no way. Sans jumped back, his left eye instantly blazing with the same galactic energy that he had when he attacked them. Frisk could already feel the pressure in the air choking them.

“Papyrus, get out of here.” Sans’ voice wasn’t his normal light, joking tone. It was filled with fear, and panic. Papyrus laughed.

“What are you talking about, Sans? This is my friend, Flowey,” he said.

“Hello Frisk, hello Sans.” Flowey said. Frisk understood why their body had been screaming at them now. They had forgotten that Flowey was in Stardin. After their encounter they hadn’t even given the flower a second thought. Guilt about Toriel swept at them again and they felt their chest tighten. They took as deep of a breath as they could and hardened themselves.

“I’m not letting you take advantage of me again. Go away! Leave me alone!” Frisk shouted at the plant. Papyrus’ expression turned to confusion, then frustration. He moved himself in front of Flowey to shield him and crossed his arms.

“Sans! Human! I’m very disappointed in your behavior towards my friend. Please apologize immediately.”

Frisk looked at Sans who seemed to be just as horrified and confused as they were. They turned back to Papyrus.

“Are you serious, Papyrus? Apologize? After everything they’ve done to me? They’re evil! You need to get away from them before they hurt you, too!”

Papyrus’ face faltered for a moment, as if he were considering their words. Behind him, the flower was grinning. Sans tensed beside them.

“Me? Hurt you? Don’t be silly! I’m just a flower, how could I hurt you?” There it was. The same sickeningly innocent voice that had convinced them to attack Toriel back on the moon. Guilt gripped at their gut. Toriel. They hardened themselves, glaring at the flower who was still smirking behind his skeleton protector. They wouldn’t let Flowey hurt anyone, not again.

“I have to agree, human. Flowey is just a plant. I don’t see how they could have ever hurt you.” Papyrus said. Sans was still staring, the magic in the air weighing heavily. Papyrus looked at him with pleading eyes. “Sans, please. They are my friend.”

Sans didn’t move, his eyes trained on the flower. Something about his attitude made Frisk’s skin crawl, like he knew more about Flowey than they did. They could only imagine what might have happened. They remembered the look on his face when they showed up brandishing a knife, the rage that had exploded and would have killed them if Frisk hadn’t convinced Sans to stop. They took another deep breath, the weight of the magic making their lungs strain.

“What do you want from us?” Sans asked.

“Me? Why, I just want to make a new friend!”

 “Yeah, sure. Now let’s hear the real reason.”

Flowey sighed.

“I guess I don’t have a choice. You are just too smart. I’ll tell you why I’m here.” They said. They paused for a moment, then, Frisk saw the vines. They were creeping out from beneath the snow so slowly that at first they didn’t realize what they were. It wasn’t until one slowly curled around Papyrus’ leg that Frisk shouted.

“Papyrus! Look out!”

“What?” Papyrus looked down, but it was too late. The vines shot from the ground, curling and wrapping around his bones. The skeleton screamed as the thorns scraped over the surface, leaving gouges and scratches. Flowey’s voice was different than before, deeper and more hollow, as he laughed. They pulled themselves through Papyrus as the vines made the skeleton immobile. The screaming stopped and the flower appeared on his shoulder. A grin was spread wide over his face. Papyrus’ eyes were frantic and scared, glancing between Sans and Frisk and the flower. Sans’ was in shock, his eyes wide, his body shaking.

“You really are a bunch of idiots!” the flower shouted. Their voice was distorted now, echoing around them, almost as if two people were speaking. “Especially this one here. He’s the biggest idiot of them all. Oh and he was so trusting. It was so easy to take him over. Even now, I can tell he still believes in me.”

Then, the weight was enormous. Sans shouted and the blue blazed and Frisk thought they might just burn up.

“Give me back my brother!” he screamed. He held up large skulls with glowing mouths and dozens of sharp bones, all aimed at the flower. But he couldn’t use an attack, and he knew it. Anything he threw at them would hit Papyrus. Flowey was still smiling.

“See, now, that wouldn’t be quite fair, would it? I didn’t have a body, now I do. See? Everything works out. Win-win,” they said.

“How is this winning? You’ve taken over my brother!” Sans looked not just angry, but lost, his eyes somehow not exactly in the moment. Almost as if he were remembering something. Flowey laughed.

“You don’t think this is fair? Alright. Tell you what. Give me your body instead. Do that, and I’ll let Papyrus go.”

Sans stopped, the attacks faltering for a moment. Frisk knew he was considering the offer.

“Don’t do it, Sans!” they shouted, “Papyrus wouldn’t want this! Flowey is just lying to you!”

“Shut up!” Flowey said, flicking a vine at Frisk and shoving them backwards into the snow. Sans didn’t turn to look at them. He was still focused on his brother, on the moment. Frisk looked between him and Flowey, then at Papyrus’ panicked, immobile face. The weight was lifting and Sans’ attacks disappeared completely. He hung his head and held out a hand.

“No!” Frisk cried out, trying to push themselves out of the snow. The weight suddenly hit them again, but this time it was different. It was darker, more sinister. The lanterns around them went out, leaving everyone in a darkness that wasn’t even penetrated by starlight. Frisk could just barely make out Sans and Flowey, who were looking around, confused. Sans’ hand dropped to his side.

“What? No! Go away!” The flower’s voice was still distorted, but the echo began to fade. Flowey stepped back, using Papyrus as their own body. They looked panicked, horrified. It was like Frisk was staring at the face of a scared child. They stepped backwards onto the teleporter and disappeared in a swirl of light that barely broke through the shadow around them. Frisk desperately looked around them, trying to find the source of the darkness. Sans tried to follow through the teleporter, launching himself at the platform, but was thrown back by something. Any attempt they made at pushing themselves up from the ground was met by a heavy, crushing shadow. It pushed down on them, squeezing the air from their lungs. Frisk cried out for help, but there was nothing around them anymore but a choking darkness.


End file.
